London Craft Week event on Friday 5 May 2017: Conserving the Great Clock of Westminster

04 April 2017

The Houses of Parliament is taking part in London Craft Week by hosting a free lunchtime talk which will give visitors the opportunity to meet the dedicated team of clockmakers who maintain the UK's most famous clock.

Discover how the clockmakers maintain the Great Clock inside the Elizabeth Tower (home to Big Ben), and the other 2,000 clocks on the Parliamentary Estate, for future generations.

The clockmakers will provide an insight into the mechanics of how the Great Clock works, the problems that arise maintaining a clock dating from 1859, the method of making new parts and restoring old ones and the tools that are used by the team. Visitors will also learn about the history of casting and the people who made the original clock.

How to book tickets

Places for this free event are limited. Tickets must be booked in advance by calling our Bookings Team on 020 7219 4114 (lines open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm).

This one hour talk on Friday 5 May will commence promptly at 12.30pm. Ticket holders are welcome to enter from 12 noon and should allow sufficient time to pass through the airport style security.

This event may be subject to cancellation at any time for reasons relating to parliamentary business.